Save Our Sidmouth


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Public Meeting this Wednesday, 23 August . Organised by 3Rs campaign ..Retain, Refurbish, Reuse..an alternative plan for Port Royal

Details provided by the organisers, as follows:

Retain Refurbish and Reuse
Public meeting Wednesday 23rd August from 7-9pm
All Saints Church Hall, All Saints Road, Sidmouth EX10 8ES
Purpose of the meeting:
To present an alternative vision for Port Royal for East Devon District Council and Sidmouth Town Council to consider.
We shall discuss how to:
-Retain existing buildings and uses, for the benefit of all;
-Refurbish buildings;
-Renew street furniture;
-‘Green’ the car parks etc;
-Reuse old buildings and spaces such as the Drill Hall and old boat park behind the Ham play area.
The meeting will include presentations and discussion on:
-a summary of the consultation findings
-Neighbourhood Plan findings on Port Royal
-the current EDDC proposal
-ideas for an alternative vision
-how an alternative vision could be funded and delivered
We want to hear your views and answer questions

Where to next? Protest, petition, write letters!

To help get this alternative considered, it’s important that you :

-Sign the petition online: search 38 degrees Sidmouth Retain
-Write to Town and District Councillors to explain what you want
-Join us on Facebook: Retain Refurbish Reuse
-Attend the picnic on the Ham on 27th August from 1-4pm


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Do developer’s plans for Knowle entail “fairly substantial harm” to Sidmouth?

The question is explored in this letter from Michael Temple,  published in the Sidmouth Herald (18 August, 2017):

‘A recent Government directive on planning appeals says that Inspectors should only refuse appeals if there is “fairly substantial harm” to the community or environment.

In light of this, readers may wish to make comments to the Inspectorate on the Pegasus Life appeal. This can be done through the Planning Portal at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by emailing alison.bell@pins.gsi.gov.uk or by sending three copies to Sarah Hardy, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/0, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN. Comments should be received by 6 September 2017 and should quote the appeal reference: APP/U1105/W/17/3177340.

The Pegasus Life development at Knowle will substantially harm a unique woodland public park by building massive 60 foot blocks of flats on its best features, notably on the Arcadian terraced “prospect”, so dominating the southern gardens; it will also involve the demolition of heritage buildings which are used for public concerts, religious services, talks and weddings, as well as the loss of free weekend parking for visitors. In addition, covering twice the area of the existing offices and at much greater heights, it will be a blot on the landscape, intrusively visible from adjacent Conservation areas and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site, as well as overlooking surrounding properties and causing constant traffic noise and pollution.

Pegasus Life claim that the development is a care home yet there will be no nurse available at night –
if designated as such, of course, the developer makes no contribution to the Council for socially rented housing or “affordable” homes. Moreover, although these very expensive flats are ostensibly for occupancy as primary residences, there is a clause which allows the Council to waive this (for instance if flats fail to sell) so that they could easily become second homes and investment properties.

Bearing in mind that losing the appeal means the Council will have to pay Pegasus’s appeal costs, EDDC will still get their seven and a half million by selling the site to them. With their precious three-site move project depending so much on this, what fight will they put up to the Inspector on our behalf?’

The Appeal Programmehas now been posted.


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Knowle proposal: Pegasus Life Appeal to be determined on basis of an inquiry. Deadline for representations, 6th September 2017.

The developer’s plans for Knowle, Sidmouth, were refused by EDDC’s Development Management Committee in December 2016. The speculative proposal involved exclusive homes for old people only, on the prime site of the District Council’s current headquarters and the best part of its historic parkland.  The planning objections were many and various, as reported on local websites, including this one. Some relevant posts are listed in the postscript from SOS below.

Notification of the appeal process was circulated on 31st July 2017, as follows:

‘TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990

Appeal by:Pegasus Life
Appeal ref. APP/U1105/W/17/3177340
Proposal: The construction of an assisted living community for older people comprising extra care units, staff accommodation and communal facilities, including a kitchen, restaurant/bar/cafe, a well-being suite comprising gym, treatment rooms and pool, a communal lounge and storage facilities; car parking for residents, visitors and staff of the assisted living community; comprehensive landscaping comprising communal and private spaces; and associated groundworks. Location: Council Offices Knowle Sidmouth EX10 8HL

An appeal has been made to the Secretary of State against the decision of the East Devon District Council to refuse to grant planning permission for the proposed development.The appeal will be determined on the basis of an inquiry. The procedure to be followed is set out in the Town and Country Planning Appeals (Determination by Inspectors) (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000.

We have forwarded all the representations made to us on the application to the Planning Inspectorate and the appellant. These will be considered by the Inspector when determining the appeal. If you wish to make comments, or modify/withdraw your previous representation, you can do so on the Planning Portal at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by emailing alison.bell@pins.gsi.gov.uk . If you do not have access to the internet you can send three copies to Sarah Hardy, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/0, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN.

All representations must be received by 6th September 2017. Any representations submitted after the deadline will not usually be considered and will be returned. The Planning Inspectorate does not acknowledge representations. All representations must quote the appeal reference. Please note that any representations you submit to the Planning Inspectorate will be copied to the appellant and this local planning authority and will be considered by the Inspector when determining the appeal.

The appeal documents are available for inspection at the Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth EX10 8HL between 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday or can be viewed on the Council’s website at http://www.eastdevon.gov.ukYou can get a copy of one of the Planning Inspectorate’s ‘Guide to taking part in planning appeals’ booklets free of charge from GOV.UK at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/taking-part-in-a-planning-listed-building-or- enforcement-appeal or from the Council on request.

When made, the decision will be published on the Planning Portal.
Yours faithfully
R Capon
Senior Technical Officer’

Postscript from SOS:

Some background information can be found at this link

DMC Matters, at https://saveoursidmouth.com/2017/06/09/6777/

or SEARCH category Knowle Watch on sidebar of this website (which includes agent’s helpful visual description of the site  https://saveoursidmouth.com/2017/06/17/eddc-attempts-at-knowle-sale-some-history/ )